Like His Dead Girlfriend
by CeruleanStarGlow
Summary: As Mimi is about to die,she and Roger are persuaded to take custody of their twin daughters,who were long ago given up for adoption. When Mimi passes away,Roger has to deal with grief,while living with two girls who are the spitting image of their mother.
1. Documents That Define You

_Mimi didn't die. Well, you know that, you've heard that story, but at some point you must have realized that even if she lived at the end of the story… she still only had a few months left. Everyone was so surprised that Mimi was doing so well after Christmas Eve. She actually took her AZT, and she started to quit heroin. The doctor advised that roger wean her off instead of stopping all at once, because it would be better for her health. It was a longer withdrawal than Roger's, but it was easier, and Mimi lived long enough to see the end of it. After years, and none of us knew exactly how many, Mimi could walk by the junkies on the street- even shooting up in the alley behind the cat scratch club- and not be tempted. No one could have said she didn't care, but she never wanted to go back, because she knew she would kill herself if she did. Even if Mimi wasn't afraid of dying, she couldn't do that to Roger. He had already lost April. He wasn't going to lose Mimi. She told me once, that she didn't care what it took, she would do everything she could to make sure that Roger wouldn't die alone. She would do everything to be with him for the rest of his life. I hoped she could do that for him… But I guess hope doesn't always get you where you're trying to go, does it?_

-X-

_Please, Please, Please, Please! I know that Mom and Dad have told me over and over again that it's impossible, but if I live another day knowing nothing about my birth parents, I think I'm going to scream. Please, god or whoever lives in the sky and gives the orders- Let me meet my birth parents!_

-X-

_If me and my husband are to die, I want to make it known that my two daughters, Haley and Sandra, are to be returned to their biological parents. They were adopted right after birth, because their parents were not expected to live long enough to raise their children. They didn't want their daughters to go through emotional trauma because of their deaths. If they are still alive and physically able, they should be offered the choice to gain custody of the girls. _

-X-

_Mark, I'm going to die soon. You know that. Roger might be deluding himself into thinking I'm actually leaving the hospital this time, but I know it, and you know it. Remember what I told you a few years ago? I would do whatever it took to live longer than Roger. I know I won't, so I'll keep my other promise. Can you promise me that you won't let Roger die alone? I know that after I die, he'll be like he was after April, and I know she put you through hell, leaving you alone with him like that, but this time he won't be in withdrawal. Can you stay with him even if he tries to force you away? I know he won't mean it. He'll come around, and meanwhile, I want to trust that you'll stay with him. He'll need you, and he'll need Collins… but Collins won't be here for long Mark… He hasn't been doing so well since Angel died, and since I got sicker. He'll try to act like he's fine, even if he's not. He'll be strong for you and Roger, even if he's weak, so watch him for me, and make sure he takes care of himself. _

_And Mark- Look after yourself too. I may be asking you to take care of Roger, but that doesn't mean you should stop taking care of yourself. If you ever need help, you know Collins and Benny are there to help you, and even Roger is…. on occasion. And remember- Benny may be a dick sometimes, but he's a rich dick who is willing to help with any financial dilemmas that you get stuck in. Whatever you do, don't mention Benny to Roger- especially if Benny ever gives you money to buy food. If Benny gives you AZT for Roger, and Roger finds out Benny paid for it, he won't even touch the bottle. Roger will starve himself if he finds out Benny paid for the food… You probably know that though… _

_You know I love you, right? You're the best, dorkiest, big brother anyone could ever ask for. I want you to know I love you so much, and I don't want you to go all emo like Roger will- tell him he shouldn't be depressed either. I don't want him to waste a year just crying over me… I don't want you to waste time crying over me either. I'll see you in heaven chico! We'll dance in the clouds- NO NOT THAT KIND OF DANCING! ROGER WILL NOT BE HAPPY IF I TELL HIM YOU THOUGHT ABOUT ME THAT WAY!! I'll get to see angel again soon! Just promise me Chico- You and Roger will take your time coming back up to see me again. And tell Collins to wait as long as he can, he's still got some time left. I'll stop now... I love you Mark, and I'll see you again someday._

-X-

Mimi looked at Mark pleadingly- "Can you find them, please? Just get a photo of what they look like now… I want to see my babies faces before I die." Mimi told him, tears running down her face. Mark tried to put a reassuring smile on his face, but it came out as a grimace instead.

"I'll try, Mimi… I'll try."

-X-

_Mr. Howard Richmond and his wife Elaine died in a car collision on June 13__th__ 2008. They were driving their small, ecologically sound smart car, to the small, town theatre to see a play, when they were hit head on by a drunk man driving a Hummer. The drunk driver sustained no injuries whatsoever. The couple's adopted twin daughters, both seventeen years old, are arranged to move into their biological parents' home in New York City, by next Saturday. _

-X-

_Be careful what you wish for. It's fitting isn't it? I wished to meet my birth parents, and I will. But now MY PARENTS ARE FUCKING DEAD! AND IT'S MY FAULT FOR WISHING!!!! I don't think I'll even be able to look at them when I meet them. I've always thought I could forgive them for giving me and Sandra up… but I don't know if I can anymore… There's too much right now that I can't deal with. For instance… Sandra! Sandra is always crying now, and I'm always angry, and I keep getting pissed off and making her cry more… god or whatever force runs the universe- WHY COULDN'T BOTH OF US BE BAWLING IDIOTS! At least then I wouldn't feel like I'm the reason she's always crying… At least then I'd be too distracted to think it's my fault that my parents are dead… I wished to meet my birth parents, and I told them to buy a smart car… They wanted a big car… but I convinced them… But if I had let them buy a bigger car, that hummer wouldn't have run over them… and even if it had… they would have been hurt, not dead… IT'S MY FAULT that my parents are dead. IT'S MY FAULT that my sister is in the corner crying her eyes out. IT'S MY FAULT that everything is going wrong!_

-X-

_A/n- Please review! I love Reviews, and I think this story is going to end up being better, and more plotlinish than my other fics. I've got a lot of good plot bunnies set up. Right now I want you to review to tell me if you want Mimi to live long enough to see her daughters or if she should die before she meets them. And guys, none of the plot will work if Mimi doesn't die, so she has to within the next couple of chapters. If you have any input I'd love to hear it. I'll update as soon as possible._

_By the way- The first section is Mark's point of view, The second section is a small entry in Haley's diary, The third section is part of Haley and Sandra's Parent's Will, The fourth part is a letter from Mimi to Mark, the fifth section is a tiny bit of dialogue between Mimi and Mark, the sixth part is an obituary for Sandra and Haley's parents, and the seventh section is another diary entry of Haley's._

_R&R Pretty pretty pretty please! _

_As always, reviewers get cyber oreos!_

_-Glow_


	2. Wandering Minds

Neither of them moved. They just sat there, hands clasped, in front of the social worker who was speaking to them. She was explaining to them that they were to stay in this group home until permanent living arrangements were organized. She told them that their biological parents would be contacted, and that they were to be given the option of full custody, and if they refused, the girls would stay in the group home, and they would try to arrange for the girls to be adopted. Apparently it wouldn't be as hard to find a home for these two teens because "Certain people will be appealed to the idea of adopting two intelligent, and artistically talented, identical twin sisters."

"_People will want to adopt us because we will look good in their fabulous apartment on the Upper East Side. We will be their risqué pieces of art. The Rainbow haired, biracial, bisexual, and very talented artistic twins!!! All of their friends will ogle at us, and then after our grunge appeal has run out, they'll force us into their conservative upper east side clothes, and upper east side ways, and then when we're eighteen, and Urban Grunge is out, they'll drop us like flies, or maybe if we're lucky, they'll force us to go to an ivy league school and marry us off the their acquaintances dorky sons."_

That was what translated into Haley's mind as she listened to the social worker speak. She gripped Sandra's hand, trying to keep the thoughts of those conservative upper east siders in her head, so that thoughts of her parents would stay away. The social worker eyed their hair, with the rainbow streaks, and the twins could see it in her eyes that she was trying to decide whether the streaks would ward away potential adoptive parents. The government would do all it could to get us adopted, because getting us adopted would mean that they would get money from the adoption, and they wouldn't have to give college grant money to us. Of course there was still the chance that our biological parents would take us, but that chance, we were told, was slim. We were informed that our parents were both HIV positive, and that our mother, Mimi, was dying. I could hear Sandra's choking sob the moment she heard that. She couldn't stand the thought of two mothers dying.

We were supposed to meet our parents the next day, at a hospital, no less, where our mother currently resided. She wanted to see us again, before she died. It would be our father's choice whether or not to take us.

"I think it's about time the two of you got to sleep." The social worker said to us, and Sandra nodded softly, and pulled me gently up the stairs to the room we had been told we'd be sleeping in tonight.

-X-

Roger sat on a chair at the edge of Mimi's hospital bed, looking into her brown eyes. He scanned her face, the contours of her cheeks and eyes, and nose, and mouth and watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath. He couldn't take his eyes off her. His lover was dying, and he couldn't do anything. As he watched every inch of Mimi's still living body, his mind wandered. The couple that had adopted his and Mimi's twins had died, and left the girls back in their care. _Sandra and Haley. _Roger repeated their names over and over in his head. They were coming to meet him and Mimi today, and child services was hopeful that when the girls left, they would not be headed back to their Brooklyn group home, but to the small loft in the east village. _Sandra and Haley. _Mimi had named those girls, when they had come out pink and screaming. The couple had wanted their real parents to name them, so Mimi had named them. Roger couldn't even look at them, because he had known he would have to give them up. He and Mimi had decided on that when she became pregnant. They couldn't care for a baby the way they lived, and they certainly couldn't care for two. _Cassandra Davis Richmond and Haley Davis Richmond. _That's what Mimi named their girls, giving each of them Davis as a middle name. When he asked why she hadn't given one of them Marquez, she just said she thought it was cheesy to name a baby after yourself. _Sandra and Haley. _The moment the twins walked into the hospital room, hand in hand, Roger couldn't keep his mouth from dropping open.

-X-

_A/n- I hope you liked this chapter, it's short, like the other, but it's much more narrative, rather than a bunch of little bits and pieces._

_As always- Reviewers get Cyber Oreos!_

_Please, Please, Please Review!!!! _

_-Glow_


	3. A Symphony of Awkward Silences

_They look just like her. Just like her. _Maybe Roger was just tired, after hours of sitting at Mimi's side, but the two girls who stood in the room with him, were nothing more than clones of the woman in the bed beside him. Memories flashed in his mind of a nineteen year old girl dancing on the fire escape with moonlight in her eyes. These two girls were a bit younger, sixteen… maybe seventeen. Rainbow streaks adorned shiny black ringlets that were so obviously Mimi's. Lips the same, chin the same, cheeks the same, nose the same, eyes… not the same. They had his eyes. Hazel eyes.

-X-

_They gave us up. They gave us up. They gave us up. They gave us up. _That was what was going through Haley's head the entire drive to the hospital. _Maybe they had a reason… _Her conscience pleaded with her. _Maybe they couldn't keep you. _"Bullshit," She whispered. "When does anyone ever have a good reason for giving up their children."

-X-

"Why are we meeting them at a hospital anyway…? Is there something wrong with them?" Sandra asked as the social worker pulled into a parking space.

"Your mother is in the hospital. She has been for a few days."

"Why?"

The social worker is silent. "I didn't really think it would be good to bring you girls here at this time… It's not good for you to see her like this… my boss disagrees…. I really don-"

"What is wrong with her."

"She… she's had AIDS for a very long time… and…" The woman trailed off, but she didn't need to say more.

-X-

It seemed like there was a sharp intake of breath from everyone in the hospital room the moment the girls stepped in. Everyone but Mimi stood stock still, staring at one another. There was silence, for a moment, or two, or three, and then the social worker stepped farther into the room, and held out her hand to Roger.

"Hello Mr. Davis, My name is Cynthia Robbins, from the department of child security. The state has already performed background checks on you and your girlfriend, and your housing situation, and although your lifestyle is… unconventional, it seems that you have passed the requirements for adoption." Cynthia gestures to the twins, "These are your daughters, Sandra and Haley. You are encouraged to get to know each other today, and decide whether or not you feel you would be able to take responsibility of them once again. I'll just be observing you… so…"

Roger turned to the girls, and also glanced back at Mimi, who still slept peacefully in her cot. He held out his hand. Both of the girls looked at it incredulously for a few seconds, until the girl on the left timidly stretched out her hand to shake his. She forced a small smile, and nudged her sister. The other girl didn't bother to force a smile. She shot her hand out quickly, grasped his, shook it, let go, and turned away. She didn't speak. The first girl sighed. "I'm Sandra. Don't mind Haley… she… she's just having issues right now…"

"Okay…" Roger said tentatively. "I was sorry to hear about your… your parents." The word stung, because even though he had never even laid eyes on these girls, he knew that the couple who had raised them were not their real parents."

"Yeah… well…" Sandra turned and sat down on one of the uncomfortable wooden chairs, and the rest of the group followed suit. Roger sat beside Mimi, and clasped her hand in his.

"This is your mother," He told them. "She has-"

"AIDS, we know. We know all about how she's dying and you're bringing us to see her anyway. Why the fuck couldn't you spare us the trouble!" Haley had stood up, and was shouting at Roger passionately. She was seething, glaring at him like she could burn a hole through his forehead if she did it long enough.

"I was going to say that she has been asking to meet you for a long time. She wanted to see you before she died. I'm so sorry if her dying wish upsets you so much." Haley immediately looked away. She sat down, and stared at her feet. Sandra grasped her hand and Haley looked up at her. They shared a glance between them, and then Haley met Roger's gaze.

"I'm sorry," She said, struggling with the words.

"You don't have to be sorry…"

There was silence.

"Soo… We're supposed to get to know each other…" Sandra said, attempting to get a conversation going. "What do you do for a living?"

"I… I'm a bartender…" He told her.

"What about Mimi?"

"She used to teach music at an elementary school… but she hasn't been able to work for a while…" Roger was silent for a minute before he asked, "What grade are you two in?"

"We're juniors." Sandra told him.

"What's your favorite subject in school?"

The two girls spoke at once, the "Art, for sure," from Sandra, clashing with Haley's declaration of "Music."

"That's great." Roger looked over at Haley. "Do you play an instrument?" He asked.

Haley nodded. She didn't speak.

"She plays piano and she sings." Sandra told him.

"I want to learn to play guitar," Haley continued, "I got one for my birthday last year."

"I could teach you," Roger tells her, "I play. What kind of guitar do you have?"

"Gabe said it was a Gibson Maestro… It's purple… and electric… that' pretty much all I know about it."

Roger nodded. "Good beginner guitar… Who's Gabe?"

"My ex-boyfriend."

"Oh"

The room was silent again.

-X-

_Three hours of crap. Three hours of getting to know you. He's not that bad, really… but still… that was torture… And we're really going to live with him. It's better than a group home… but still… our house… our parents… our fucking parents are dead! And it's my fault… Fuck life. _

* * *

And now a note from the author (Glow)-

Helooooo peoples!!! I've updated! And I'm halfway through writing the next chapter. So, there should be an update soon...

Please review. PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEAAAASE REVIEW!!!! Reviews are my sustenance! Don't let me starve!!!

:)

Adios

(Review please)


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